How Manchester United manager Jose Mourinho used Liverpool captain Jordan Henderson to get off FA charge
JOSE MOURINHO could have got away with his TV camera rant thanks to rival captain Jordan Henderson.
The United boss was cleared of an FA charge despite allegedly shouting "f*** off, sons of b*****s" following his side's 3-2 comeback win over Newcastle last month.
The midfielder was caught swearing at Croatia manager Zlatko Dalic during the Uefa Nations League match played behind closed doors earlier in October.
Dalic accused the Reds star of handball and he shouted back: "Are you the f***ing ref?" which was picked up by the TV microphones around the pitch.
A three-person panel threw out the case which is understood to have stunned the FA, who had a 99.5 per cent success rate in an estimate made a few years ago.
It is the first major case the FA have lost since Eden Hazard got away without an extended ban after apparently kicking of a Swansea ball boy in January 2013.
Mourinho was found "not proven" and therefore will not serve a touchline ban.
Wayne Rooney was handed a two-game ban in 2011 when he was found guilty and the same punishment for Mourinho would have meant he missed Saturday's game at Bournemouth and next weekend's visit to Manchester City.
The full written reasons for the clearing will be released on the FA website next week and they will then assess them before deciding whether to appeal.